For Dusty Rivers, the value of a SHARE conference extends well beyond the technical agenda. In a recent conversation with Planet Mainframe, Rivers discussed the growth of SHARE’s New to Z community, the importance of building professional relationships, and the...
Stephen K. Johnston Systems EngineerTrident Services, Inc. Chehalis, Washington, USAThis piece is part of the 2026 Planet Mainframe Influential Mainframers series.For over 20 years, Stephen Johnston’s professional world was defined by the fast-moving landscape of...
Anshul Agrawal Senior Manager, Product DevelopmentBMC Software Pune, Maharashtra, IndiaThis piece is part of the 2026 Planet Mainframe Influential Mainframers series.The mainframe has always been built on trust. Decades of reliability, scale, and performance have made...
Geoffrey Decker Instructor, Northern Illinois UniversityCo-Founder and Lead Instructor, Eli Madison Memorial Apprenticeships (EMMA) DeKalb, Illinois, USA This piece is part of the 2026 Planet Mainframe Influential Mainframers series.The Maestro of the Mainframe...
I’ve always been a bit obsessed with computers—especially niche hardware. Growing up, I recall my dad having a collection of old systems from companies that no longer existed. They were different from the standard beige DOS and Windows boxes that had taken over, and I...
Mainframe careers don’t suffer from a lack of interest, but a lack of pathways. EMMA was built to remove barriers to training, scaling, and hiring mainframe apprentices. This update revisits the program one year later, with results that tell a more nuanced workforce...
Career resilience in the mainframe world sounds like jargon—until change hits. Reorgs, new technologies, leadership shifts, or surprise opportunities don’t reward the fastest scramblers. They reward the people who were already ready. That’s the core idea Darren Surch,...
Mainframe careers rarely follow a script. Rather, they grow through curiosity, mentorship, and a willingness to keep learning. This trifecta is especially necessary as tools, platforms, and expectations evolve. Planet Mainframe caught up with Chris Muncan, Lead DB2...
In 2025, Planet Mainframe celebrated a decade of amplifying the world’s mainframe voices. What began 10 years ago as a part-time blog evolved into a trusted hub for industry news, deep technical insight, and highlighting the people shaping enterprise IT. Fittingly,...
Careers in enterprise technology are rarely linear, and mainframe careers are no exception. At the GS UK Conference, a panel of industry leaders came together to share personal reflections on leadership, career growth, and what it takes to build a meaningful,...
